[The DIY feature from Faith, our new Editor-At-Large, will offer options to that jar or packet at the grocery store by giving you recipes for foods you might not think to make yourself. Homemade bread, peanut butter and jam - they're much easier than you think.]
Dulce de leche, cajeta, milk jam, confiture du lait - whatever you call it, it's delicious. A simple mix of milk and sugar, cooked until the Maillard reaction works its magic, leaving a rich and gooey treat to spoon over ice cream or smear on toast.
Sweet milk treats have been common in Latin America, India and Europe for a long time - often as a form of preservation for dairy in hot climates - and they've become very popular in the United States. You can buy dulce de leche at the grocery store or make it yourself by boiling unopened cans of sweetened condensed milk.
But water baths and exploding cans make me nervous, and I discovered that it's easier and more rewarding to start at the beginning and make homemade dulce de leche from scratch.
Click below for the recipe...
Dulce de Leche
makes about 1 cup
1 quart milk, preferably whole, organic and as fresh as possible
1 cup granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean
1/2 teaspoon baking soda, dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
In a large, heavy pan with tall sides, combine the milk and sugar. Split the vanilla bean along its length and scrape the seeds into the pot, then throw in the pod. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
When it has reached a simmer, remove from the heat and add the bakin soda and water, stirring vigorously. When the mixture settles down, return the pan to the heat and bring to a brisk simmer. Simmer for about one hour, or until it turns golden brown. You don't have to stir - go about your business and keep an eye on it.
After the milk mixture has changed to a deep golden brown check it more frequently. This is where you can decide just how dense and thick you want it to be. If you want it pourable, like caramel sauce, wait just until it reaches the consistency of maple syrup - about 20 minutes after the color
change - and take it off the heat. Strain through a mesh strainer into a glass jar or container and let cool. Or, if you prefer a jam-like consistency to spread on toast, crackers, and anything else you can think of, let it cook longer. It will solidify into chewy candy if you cook it long enough.
Tightly covered and refrigerated this will keep a long time - at least a month.
Variation: If you want to make cajeta, often found in Mexico, use goat's milk instead of cow's, and put in a cinnamon stick instead of the vanilla bean. This has a more aggressive, complex flavor, which many people prefer.
Or you can do it the way I learned from the Latino families I grew up around: boil a can of condensed sweetened milk IN THE CAN for an hour or so. The can warns you not to do it, but in 30 years I've never seen a can explode.
My favorite cake of all time, which I requested every birthday as a child: two layers of yellow cake with dulce de leche in between and chocolate frosting on top.
It's very simple to boil condensed milk. Just make sure that the water line is always above the can.
I got turned on to banoffee pies from a British coworker a few years ago. Take that thick thick dulce de leche and smear it over sliced bananas in a prebaked pie shell. (Or you can put the dulce de leche layer on bottom and top with bananas). Top the whole pie off with whipped cream. Mmmmm.
You can open the condensed milk and pour into a glass pie plate and microwave for about 10 minutes. no explosions and fast!
Just wanted to say that I made this (the cajeta varation) this morning, using Kortwright Creamery goat's milk and it turned out wonderful! Easy to make and though it took a bit (I used very low heat, since I have a tendency to forget about things on the stove), it was very little hands-on work and it tasted great. thanks much!
Out of curiosity, for how long do you boil the unopened can of condensed milk?
Kathryn, the directions that I've seen say about 2 hours for runny dulce de leche, and up to four hours for the solid milk candy. I haven't tried it, though - I like the extra control of making it from scratch. Anyone else tried it? Lesley or verily?
I say 2 hours at the most. This will give you a nice spreadable consistency (not runny).
If you try it on sourdough toast (no butter necessary), you might just eat that for breakfast every day until the can is gone.
I want to make Dulce de leche in a jar for Christmas gifts. I have made it successfully in a can boiling condensed milk but does anyone have experience pouring the condensed milk into a jar and boiling that? Also, I want to include the expiration on the label - does anyone know how long this is good for?
thanks so much!
My guess is that this would keep a really long time; boiling milk preserves it well. But to be safe I would say a month or two, well chilled, even before it's opened.
I kept some in the fridge for about two months and it was good. It gets a little chewy, but you can warm it.
oooh sounds amazing.
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